A power line is a system of many components. These components include conductors, splices, dead-ends, insulators, and structures. Power line monitoring and inspection has conventionally been done manually on a scheduled basis. This requires a utility company crew with equipment to visit each structure on the power line to visually inspect the components. Additionally, some utility companies use a helicopter to “fly” the power line and perform a visual and thermal inspection. Generally a utility company will determine an inspection schedule, attempting to balance cost of the inspection verses cost of repairing the failure and service interruption. With conventional power line monitoring and inspection, however, potential component failure points may go undetected, especially if the inspections occur when the power line is lightly loaded. Accordingly, conventional power line monitoring and inspection is time consuming, expensive, prone to inaccuracy, and components can fail between extended inspection cycles.